April 22, 2007

I can not say enough about these burgers! I made them last night and my husband proclaimed they were the best burgers he had ever eaten; he literally could not put the burger down once he started eating! I was equally impressed with their flavor; the combination of sweet, sour, savory, and salty make for a fulfilling meal. We did not even need dessert.

April 21, 2007

My husband and I love sea bass, so I adapted this recipe to make use of some canned pineapple rings I had in my pantry. I served this fish with steamed vegetables and brown rice, and piña coladas. Great for summer!

Place pineapple rings in a blender or food processor and pulse until pineapple is pulpy.

Place pineapple pulp in a small sauce pan; add juice from pineapple can, vinegar, basil, garlic, sambal oelek (if using), chili sauce (if using), and soy sauce. Heat until simmering; continue cooking until reduced to a thick sauce. Season to taste by adjusting any of the sauce ingredients. Remove from heat.

Spray a piece of aluminum foil with non-stick spray; place fish on foil, skin side down. Season with salt and pepper.

Broil fish for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and spoon sauce over top (some sauce will be left over). Return to broil for an additional 5 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

I first tasted this soup in the early '90s; my high school boyfriend's mom, Margo, was a fantastic home chef. She made a very authentic version, and I have been trying to replicate it ever since. This recipe comes pretty close.

Place a stockpot over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, jalapenos, and tomatoes; cook, stirring for 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked down and pulpy. Pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1-inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high flame. When the oil begins to smoke, add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until they are crisp on all sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter and sprinkle with salt while they are still hot.

Ladle the hot soup into 4 soup bowls and put a pile of shredded chicken on top of each. Top with the diced avocado and fried tortilla strips (and cheese if using). Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Place the chicken and vegetables in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Pour in only enough cold water to cover (about 3 quarts); too much will
make the broth taste weak. Toss in the thyme, bay leaves, and
peppercorns, and allow it to slowly come to a boil. Lower the heat to
medium-low and gently simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, partially covered,
until the chicken is done. As it cooks, skim any impurities that rise
to the surface; add a little more water if necessary to keep the
chicken covered while simmering.

Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. When its cool enough
to handle, discard the skin and bones; hand-shred the meat into a
storage container.

Carefully strain the stock through a fine sieve into another pot to
remove the vegetable solids. Use the stock immediately or if you plan
on storing it, place the pot in a sink full of ice water and stir to
cool down the stock.